Typhoon

I can sympathize with you "afabar" I fractured my scaphoid when I was hit with a thrown bat in a U16 tournament. I was hit on Saturday and thought it was only badly bruised so I did anaother game that day and did 3 games on Sunday wich included doing the dish in the final. I did a ladies slo-pitch game on Mon and went to the doctor on Tues morning, he said to attend the fracture clinic Wed morning. So I did the city championships Tues night. On Wed the Orthopaedic Surgeon put me in a cast. For whatever reason I was still able to umpire, I just kept my left hand behind my back and used my indicator in my right hand. I even drove 200 mi to do an U20 Provincial Championship tourney 4 weeks later. I had to wear that cast for 16 weeks. luckily it was the plastic variety and I could remove it to shower. Tony

Can't agree with you more... And for hockey it has to be Foster Hewitt "He Shoots, He Scores" Tony

I did a girls slo-pitch game and the league had just instituted a new jewelry rule and we were to mention it at the plate meeting. One of the coaches turned to her team and said everyone lift up your shirts and show Tony no one is wearing a nipple ring. Sadly or in some cases gladly none did. Tony

A few years ago I was at a clinic and the head instructor was Ed Hickox, and during a question on UI he stated that in his declining years Carlton Fisk would seem to back up on a steal to try and get an UI call. I'm sure he's not the only one to try that. Tony

So you told the UIC to get ride of him because he didn't have the experience. And then you say that he would be fine with more experience? How he's he going to get that experience if you fire him? This was a high level tournament and he was completely lost. I told the UIC to remove him from the tournament not from our asscociation. I blame the UIC for bringing him in. We would have managed somehow without him. We were offered a couple of umpires from another association, but would have to pay them mileage and he was trying to cut costs. It was just a bad sitch all the way around. I tried to help the kid but it is hard to hold a clinic in the middle of a game. That particular UIC has since been removed from the position. There were many other factors that led to this. Tony

We were doing a softball game the other night and my partner rang up the batter on a close pitch. As the 3B coach was walking by he said to my partner "have you got glaucoma?" . I said "as a matter of fact he does, but he just smoked a joint so he can see OK now" The coach almost had a stroke he laughed so hard. We've known these guys for years and they are pretty good sports. Tony

I'm retired, I was an Electrical Operator. That is one who oversees and controls the distribution of electrical energy in a safe, reliable and efficient mannner. From 500 kv to 12 kv I now spend 2 days a week working in a mom & pop computer store as a tech. I spend another 2 days a week building a full size WW2 Mosquito Bomber I do a lot of volunteer work for the Rotary Club, and I usually deliver meals on wheels once a week. Sometimes I don't know how I found the time to work Here I am at a Local Tim Horton Coffee shop doing my December gig. Tony

When I was in the navy we stopped in a small native village on the British Columbia/Alaska border. A softball game and a soccer game had been arranged between our ship and the local team. They had just built a new park as a Centennial project. They used sand and crushed sea shells to cover the playing fields and it was terrible to try and run on. Possibly the worst field I ever played on, however we were treated like royalty for our entire visit. This was Canada's Centennial year.(1967)

What about "Revenge of the Tiger" by Claude Balls

Last year I was doing the provincial U14 softball championships. Due to a no show (car accident) and an injury I had to work 6 plates in a row. At 71 I am too old for that s--t. One of my partners had never worked a softball game before. It was his first year as an umpire and all he had worked was some coach pitch and machine pitch. I'll tell you that was an adventure. I had to keep postioning him throughout the game. We were lucky that it was an easy game, but I told the UIC to get rid of him. His response was that he needed a warm body and so he put him with me because of my experience. I liked the kid, he showed alot of enthusiasm and hustle except sometimes he hustled to the wrong place so I had to keep one eye on him all the time. Give him a year or two and he will be fine. Its hard to be trying to do your own job and babysitting at the same time. Tony

Well the slo-pitch game was rained out so I did a softball double header on Tuesday, and have got three high school varsity games next week. I'll keep going as long as I can. Oh on another note It is now been decided that my bladder has to be removed as soon as they can schedule it. The triple bypass put me on the shelf for 7 weeks so this should not be as long I hope. Tony

Time for another update. I went back in May 30 for a checkup and the tumors were back, so it was surgery again last Friday. I got a call to see the Urologist next Monday and he will again give me some options. I said to hell with it and accepted a game next Monday. It is only a ladies slow pitch game but I had to start back somewhere If all goes well I'll inform my assignor that I am ready for High School again. Tony

Well here is a new update. The six weeks of chemo has been completed and now there is a three week wait then they will check again to see what the results are. Being the optimist that I am I have registered for the umpire super clinic and hope to be on the diamond again this year. Tony

Well it's time for an update. I had a second surgery on Dec 20th and the tumors had grown back in 5 weeks which means it is very aggressive. That's the bad news. The good news is that none of the the tumors had breached the bladder wall. The doc then gave me a choice. A 7 hour operation to remove my bladder or chemotherapy. Guess what I chose. The chemo starts on Jan 29 and runs once a week for 7 weeks. The procedure for this type of chemo is that they pump your bladder full of the chemicals, roll you around to coat the entire bladder wall and that is it. Luckily it does not cause you to have nausea or lose your hair. You just feel crappy for a day or two. I am optomistic that I will again be able to umpire this year. Again thanks for all the support. Tony

Well this morning they got a cancellation for tomorrow and asked if I would like to go a week early. So the surgery is tomorrow instead of next week. They have wi-fi in there so I'll bring my laptop and try and keep everyone up to date. Thanks for all the encouragement, I really appreciate it. Tony

Well after 53 years umpiring I may have to retire. I wasn't planning on it, but last week I was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. I am scheduled for surgery on Nov 22, and will be given more info after the biopsy is completed. I made it through a knee replacement, a triple bypass, and a broken neck, but this one has me worried. The Doc says it was definitely caused by my 45 years of smoking. Wish me luck guys. Thanks Tony

Wish I could'a went but they wouldn't let me across the border. I'm too violent for Detroit.

I plan on keeping it just long enough to copy it, then pass it on. then I can watch it at my liesure. Tony

We still didn't hear what happened in the second game of the OP

Thanks for clearing that up Mr Taylor. OK then this is the list so far: 1. CodyLoe15 2. Bam 3. Larry in TN 4. Typhoon

I'm so confused, Where is my place in line, and who do I sent my info to? Tony

I learned my lesson the hard way. The game was over due to a mercy. They wanted to play on for practice so I said OK. Hey! I love umpiring. Well next thing I know I am on the ground behind home plate with blood streaming down my face. It seems a foul ball just caught the buckle on top of my mask and drove it into my scalp. Well six staples and a multitude of asprin later I made a vow, when the game is over I'm outta there!! Tony

This incident happened about 25 or 30 years ago. I had forgotten about it until I ran into the guy a couple of days ago. It was a different time back then. After a game one of the guys on the losing team beat up the umpire in the parking lot. This guy was known as the town psycho and was allways bullying someone, a lot of people were afraid of him, and for good reason. We all heard about that incident and others but not much was done about such things then. Well we were doing a game in which his team was playing. There was a call at 2nd that didn't go his way, and he came charging onto the field like an enraged bull meaning to do my partner grievous harm. Unfortunately for him he seriously underestimated my partner. Just as he got to him Rolly gave him a straight right to the jaw and he dropped as if poleaxed. It was not well known that besides being a very good ballplayer and umpire, Rolly had been a very accomplished amateur boxer. Of course this incident spread through town like wildfire. It was the main topic of conversation in the coffee shop for days. Rolly was one of the top umpires in our association but real life forced him to retire much too early. I hadn't seen him for years until the other day when I ran into him in the city. We had a great laugh and he reminded me of his one punch KO. Oddly enough we never heard much from the town bully after that incident. He actually quit playing. Tony

In August we had a provincial qualifier U14 tournament, which means teams travel a considerable distance to play. We had 2 fields going, with 6 umpires scheduled to do the tournament. Well 2 of the umpires from another association backed out so we had to scramble and got 2 junior guys to fill in. Nether of them could be trusted to do plates at this level. They were just warm bodies. So Saturday morning the other experienced guy on our crew severely pulled a groin and was put out of action. I told the UIC to try and find someone else. He couldn't and it turned out that I ended up doing 6 plates in a row. It's a good thing it was a 1:45 time limit and we had a couple of mercys. It was about 85 deg out and at the end of the day I was whipped. I know I was not at my best at the end but there were no complaints that I heard. At age 70 I am too old to do that very often. On Sunday I only did 2 games, 1 on the plate and 1 on the bases. Tony

Rabbit: Don't give up, seek a second or even a third opinion. I tore my knee up about 4 years ago. I had arthroscopic surgery and it didn't help. I then had a full knee replacement. I had to take a year off but continued with a very agressive physiotherapy program. I returned to the diamond after a year and I don't think anyone noticed. Last year I had a triple bypass I did a double header 2 days before and did a boys 14U game on the dish seven weeks later. I am now 71 yrs old and have done more games this year than ever. I have gone with the attitude that I will overcome any physical impediments with hard work and a will to carry on. So don't let things get you down where there is a will there is a way. BTW I will be back next year. Tony